Johannesburg - The suspension of the exonerated KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Johan Booysen is nothing but a “witch-hunt” by newly appointed Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza.
This is according to the DA MP and police spokeswoman Dianne Kohler Barnard, who was reacting to Booysen’s suspension on Monday.
She said the party noted with concern the announcement that Booysen had been suspended without an “iota of prima facieevidence being provided by Ntlemeza”.
She said in a statement: “I will again write to the portfolio committee on police asking that Parliament be briefed on the rationale of such a suspension and press the committee to place this at the top of the agenda at the committee’s next sitting.”
Ntlemeza said in a letter to Booysen: “Serious allegations exist against you which warrant an exhaustive investigation and possible disciplinary charges being preferred against you.
“I have considered your representations and I am of the view that there is a basis for placing you on precautionary suspension pending finalisation of the contemplated investigation.”
Booysen, who was recently interviewed for the position of the head of the Hawks which was given to Ntlemeza, was cleared of all criminal and internal disciplinary charges against him last year.
Booysen was charged along with members of his unit. However, last month, police claimed they were in possession of new evidence which they described as “explosive video footage and pictures” allegedly showing Booysen and the controversial Cato Manor serious and violent crime unit celebrating after allegedly executing suspects.
At the time, Booysen was the head of the disbanded Cato Manor unit, which stands accused of murdering 28 people and planting guns on their bodies to cover up the crimes.
According to a confidential document, the new evidence came to light after investigators re-read the Cato Manor dockets.
The Hawks’ new internal disciplinary charge sheet accuses Booysen of failing to institute disciplinary steps against members of his unit who allegedly shot and killed Bongani Mkhize after he (Booysen) personally visited the crime scene.
In 2008, Mkhize secured a Durban High Court interdict, alleging the police wanted to kill him after he was told that police suspected him of masterminding the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Zethembe Chonco.
Four months later, Mkhize was killed.
In relation to a charge of fraud, it is alleged that Booysen’s unit killed suspects in order to claim recognition awards from the SAPS and also conducted operations outside KwaZulu-Natal.
A commander must ensure members under his or her command comply with the instruction to operate only in their province.
There were other operations of this nature undertaken in other provinces, it is alleged.
Efforts to get a comment from Booysen proved fruitless.
The Star